The cult of Set began in the Predynastic period. He was the son of Geb and Nut. His brother was Osiris, and his sisters were Isis and Nephthys. He was a desert god. He was associated with storms, eclipses, thunderstorms and earthquakes. If things turned dark in ancient Egypt, Set was the one to blame for the events.
Set was the desert and that lands beyond the unknown deserts. He is described as a very strong god, strange and very dangerous, but he was not the type of the god you would fear. Set was not an evil deity–not like Satan. Set had a ladder with him, his ladder helped the deceased to rich heaven–Set was a friend of the deceased. He was also the god who created the oases in the desert to revive the life of the desert, and provided a habitat for animals and humans who are wondering around the desert. At some point in his life, Set became the protector of the sun god Ra and the ruler of Egypt.
Records show that his cult has originated in the ancient town of Nubt, in Upper Egypt. During this time Set represented Upper Egypt, and his job was to swallow the moon every month, taking its light with him. All the animals that were considered to be dirty or dangerous were aspects of Set–animals such as pigs, turtles and donkeys. Fish were not considered to be unclean. In fact, they were sacred and cults of Set kept fish in temples to honor Set.
The most bizarre thing about the god Set’s aspect is that, Set is not really a dog or a known creature, and to make more things interesting, Set could represent extinct species from this era. Until this day, Set is the man with the head of an unidentifiable animal.
References
ancientegyptonline.co.uk